The Spanish Navy Training Ship ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ in Santander.

The impressive vessel left Cadiz last February, and since then, she has travelled visiting ports in Greece, Italy, Barcelona, Cape Verde, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Miami. When she departs Santander, the ship will go to France and also spend the last days of the training cruise in Spain: Corunna, Marín and back to Cadiz, where she is expected to arrive on July 21st.

The ship’s arrival at the bay of Santander attracted thousands of people on Monday, and the same scenario was repeated on Tuesday when many people had the chance of visiting the interior of the brigantine-schooner.

The docking of the ship is the event of the week in Santander. On the occasion of the 5th Centenary of the first circumnavigation of the globe, the chancellor of the Menéndez Pelayo International University and the Mayoress of Santander welcomed the ship’s Commander and crew in the Royal Hall of the Magdalena Palace.

During Monday night, the sports journalist Juanma Castaño embarked with the rest of the team of ‘El Partidazo’ (COPE radio) in a very special program aboard the Training Ship ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’.

On Wednesday, in the Church of Cueto, a small town 3.6 kilometers from the capital, a tribute was paid to Juan Santander where a plaque was unveiled in memory of the Cantabrian sailor who participated in the first expedition that went around the world. He was the captain of the only ship that returned after the expedition. The ceremony was attended by the crew.

Today, the Minister of Defense Margarita Robles boarded the sailing ship together with the Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy Admiral Antonio Martorell (AJEMA), where they welcomed King Felipe VI who was also in the Cantabrian port on an official visit, and took the opportunity to embark and greet the authorities and the 256-strong crew, among them 73 midshipmen.

The training ship is scheduled to set sail tomorrow at 09:45 a.m. towards the French port of Saint-Malo, where she will call next Tuesday 28th.